The best speaker is the one that gives you exactly what you want. If you want one that's loud, bassy, and clear in all directions, then the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 might be your speaker. With the classic UE design, Megaboom 4 aims to be a powerful and portable speaker that you can rely on.
The most unique aspect of the Megaboom 4 is its 360-degree design. This is a speaker that sends its sound out in all directions, practically asking you to place it in the centre of a room and let it blast your music. With boom being in its name, it's no surprise that it's intended to be a great speaker for bass.
That may sound all good, but what's it like to actually use the Megaboom 4? Does it hold up as a portable speaker? Is it worth your money? One of our tech experts, Kyle Purves, has been testing the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4. They've been hands-on with the speaker, finding out its strengths, weaknesses and any unique quirks. From different types of music to how waterproof and portable it is, they've made sure to get a full understanding of everything this speaker has to offer.
Ultimate Earswww.johnlewis.com
Pros
- Powerful volume and clarity
- Waterproofing makes it suitable for poolside use
- Very good battery life and charge time
- The 360-degree sound makes it easy to place
- Excellent bass
Cons
- Better options exist for a portable speaker
| Drivers | 2 x 4 ohm (50mm x 50mm) full-range drivers, 2 x (55 mm x 86 mm) passive radiators |
| Audio power | Unspecified |
| Battery life | Up to 20 hours |
| Charging time | Approx. 3 hours |
| Waterproofing | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 8.7 x 8.7 cm |
| Weight | 0.935 kg |
The performance and experience
Volume and clarity in all directions
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 sports a spatial design that projects its sound out 360 degrees around it. This means that no matter where you are in relation to it, the sound projection is consistently excellent. I often find that trying to pick out the perfect place and angle for a speaker can be annoying, so I'm a big fan of the fact you can just place the Megaboom 4 anywhere and get excellent results.
Once I turned the speaker on and started to play music through it, two things immediately stood out to me. Firstly, this is a very loud speaker with a volume that makes it a great choice of party speaker, as it's more than capable of filling the whole room. It can play at lower volumes, but it excels when turned up.
My second observation is that the audio clarity is fantastic. It's not uncommon for some speakers that focus on boom and bass to sound a bit muddy, but the Megaboom 4 sounds quite refined – a great pcik if you are hunting for a speaker that excels in music. While I primarily played music through the speaker, dialogue from podcasts and videos sounded just as great.
Power, range and bass
The technical side of the Megaboom 4 is noteworthy. I mentioned how the clarity has impressed me, and that's due to the two passive radiators used. Compared to the Megaboom 3, these are supposedly softer, resulting in less distortion overall. The full-range drivers also pull their weight, packing a serious punch that delivers on the name Megaboom. I always like to put speakers through a gauntlet of bass-heavy music to hear how they handle it, and this is safely a success.
As for its frequency response, the Megaboom 4 has a range of 60-20kHz. That's solid for a Bluetooth speaker, although you can find better ranges if you search. In practice though, I found this to be more than competent enough for everything I listened to.
Companion app
To help you get the most out of the Megaboom 4, you can pair it up with the Ultimate Ears companion app. Connecting through Bluetooth, it acts as a one-stop place for managing the speaker. You can tweak the volume and easily keep track of the charge. There's also the option to have the speaker project your voice, so it could be used for small parties or to talk to someone in another room.
My favourite feature of the app is the EQ adjustment. It's practical and straightforward to use, and I had no issue tuning it to my liking. Most of the time, I tended to stick to the preset modes. I got the most use out of the signature and bass boost modes as they seemed the best for most music, but cramped spaces, deep relaxation, and podcast/vocal are all handy options to have.
Poolside waterproofing
With an IP67 waterproof rating, the Megaboom 4 is a fantastic poolside speaker. It can be submerged for a short bit without being damaged, but its best strength is being fully splashproof, so you don't need to worry if it's too close to the side of the pool.
It's not just the pool where the Megaboom 4 shines. I found it to be a very good shower speaker, especially thanks to the thundering volume. The IP67 rating also means it is partially dustproof, so you can even take it to the beach and it shouldn't end up too sandy.
Battery that lasts
Up to 20 hours of playtime is fantastic for any speaker (What's the best recently looked at the JBL Charge 5, which had the same battery), but it's even more impressive when considering the speedy recharge time. During my time with the Megaboom 4, I only ended up draining the battery once, as it was always convenient and easy to keep it topped up. Even when I did bring it to zero, it was back to full within a couple of hours. Some speakers feel as though they need to be kept close to an outlet, so I appreciated the freedom of the Megaboom 4.
The build
Size and shape
Bluetooth speakers are often smaller than typical bookshelf speakers, but the Megaboom 4 appears to tower over its peers. It's fairly tall for what it is, but it's not too wide, so it shouldn't be any trouble to slot it into a space. It's also not too heavy, so you can place it on a shelf without any need to worry.
As for its shape, the Megaboom 4 is a vertical cylinder. This shape makes for a sleek look that's fairly unique compared to the usual set of Bluetooth speakers, which tend to be wider than they are tall. It also assists with 360-degree sound, allowing the omnidirectional sound to be projected better.
Megaboom buttons
One glance at this speaker and you will see its mega-sized volume buttons. That's right, the giant plus and minus symbols aren't just for visual interest, they do function as volume controls. While I imagine nearly everyone will prefer to adjust the volume through their phone or other connected device, it's still appreciated that the buttons are immediately visible.
On the top of the speaker are the power and Bluetooth buttons. They're placed conveniently, spaced far enough apart so as to be easily confused with each other, and they manage to be noticeable without disrupting the aesthetics. When searching for a Bluetooth connection, a white light will blip on and off.
A small rubber seal is located around the back of the speaker (the opposite side of the volume buttons) and near the bottom. It can be lifted to reveal the USB-C charging port. It's a convenient placement for it, and the seal ensures the speaker can maintain its solid waterproofing.
Any downsides?
Despite calling itself a portable speaker, its impressive battery life and fairly reasonable weight, I can't see myself using this speaker anywhere except my own home. The size and shape of the Megaboom 4 make it impractical to bring in a backpack, and even if I were to have enough room to fit it, I could choose a smaller, more travel-friendly speaker instead.
While I enjoy the performance of the Megaboom 4, it isn't so incredible that I would go out of my way to use it instead of another speaker when needing a portable option. In fact, I did go through this situation when testing it. When heading to meet a few friends and catch up at their house, I initially intended to take the Megaboom 4, as the volume and 360-degree sound would be perfect. Yet, when it came time to sort out my bag before heading out, the cumbersome shape and size made it an easy choice for removal as I swapped it out for a smaller Anker Soundcore Bluetooth speaker.
If you're driving directly to a social gathering, then the Megaboom 4's build won't hold it back quite the same, but otherwise, I would recommend keeping this to use as a home speaker.
Who is it for?
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is a strange case, but it's certainly a speaker that I've come to quite enjoy. I call it strange because while it sets out to be portable, it doesn't quite hit that target for me. The shape and size are interesting, but I think most people would rather choose a more compact Bluetooth speaker for travel.
Don't mistake that for this being a lacklustre speaker, as I truly think it's worth considering. From the excellent battery life and waterproofing to the impressive volume and bass, this is a powerful, versatile, and consistently great speaker. In particular, I love the 360 design, as it meant I never felt the need to move it around as I shifted across a room.
If you're in the market for a poolside or desk speaker, the Megaboom 4 is a fantastic choice. It's also well-suited for just about any room in a house, so it's versatile enough for just about anyone to enjoy it. Those who like to fine-tune settings will appreciate the app compatibility, but the design is simple and efficient enough for anyone to appreciate.
Do we recommend it?
Although there are a few issues, the Megaboom 4 does earn our recommendation. At around £169.99, it's by no means a budget speaker, but the price matches the performance. It's a versatile and reliably superb speaker that is worth your consideration. No matter where you are when listening to it, the spatial sound will not disappoint.
Other items to consider
For those interested in an alternative to the Megaboom 4 that can still rival its power, we recommend the Soundcore Motion X500. It's a very potent desk speaker with outstanding sound projection. The sound might not be 360 degrees, but the upwards-facing driver helps to produce an impressive sound.
Pros
- Fantastic audio projection and potential volume
- Very refined sound quality for the size
- Ideal shape and size keep it very portable
Cons
- Wish the upwards-facing driver was a little bit bigger
| Drivers | Full-range drivers x 2, upward-firing driver x 1 |
| Audio power | 40W |
| Battery life | 12 hours |
| Charging time | Approx. 5 hours |
| Waterproofing | IPX7 |
| Dimensions | 22 x 20.2 x 8.1 cm |
| Weight | 2.12kg |
Olivia Sheed - What's the BestIf you like the sound of a much more portable speaker, we suggest this StormBox Micro 2. It's significantly more compact and suited for travel. Plus, it can serve as a power bank, so you can charge your phone or other devices with it. Even though it is a lot smaller than the Megaboom 4, it still packs surprisingly good bass for its size.
Pros
- Great bass extension
- Small and compact, great for travel
- Functions as a power bank
Cons
- Should be adjusted before using via the app
| Drivers | Unspecified |
| Audio power | 10W |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours |
| Charging time | Variable |
| Waterproofing | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 4.27 x 9.91 x 4.27 cm |
| Weight | 0.456 kg |
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Kyle Purves is a Tech Writer and Reviewer for What's The Best, with an avid interest in all things gaming and tech.
They're well-versed in reviewing a variety of tech products, with a soft spot for speakers and earphones. They're also no stranger to hunting down the best savings, always wanting to get the best deal possible. Outside of work, they can often be found playing through an RPG, listening to Japanese noise rock, or trying to catch up with their ever-expanding list of shows and anime to watch. If possible, they try to play Dungeons and Dragons a couple of times a week, but getting six adults to be free at the same time is easier said than done.
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